Claire's Hong Kong

I don’t do long haul flights very well and the flight from Hong Kong was no exception. In fact I’d go as far to say that I’ve suffered with the worst jet lag I’ve ever yet to experience. Not sure why? Maybe too many late night suppers and a weakened immune system didn’t help, I dunno but I’ve been seriously knackered.

My poor husband, I have felt so sorry for him over the last few days. Sleep deprivement can do many thanks to the personality and on a measure of grumpiness from 0-10 mine is 100! On Monday night I managed 7 hours straight and when I woke Phil up for our flight at 5.45am I thought he’d managed the same. Unfortunately not though; apparently I’d woken him with a full sentence of effing and blinding in my sleep at 12.05am. I was oblivious, fast asleep to the world and sleep talking is something I often do. Poor Phil, I sleep walk as well so he always has to make sure he double locks the hotel door as I’m more prone in unfamiliar places. I am a walking talking nightmare!

Phil blogged that maybe 3 days was a day too long for a stop-over in Hong Kong but I’m not so sure. I think I needed 3 days to sort out my body clock. My impressions of Hong Kong? My first reaction to the city – a fusion of New York, Bangkok, Dubai with a twist of London and maybe Venice because of the water. Unlike Venice though, Hong Kong is not sinking. No way, she is bold and brave and so very westernised. What surprised me was the amount of old sky rise buildings right amongst the brand spanking glass ultra modern sky rises which could have easily belonged to an east European country. Why I wondered, did they not knock these down and build new ones?


I draft this in my travel journal, which was a goodbye gift from Christine, whilst mid air aboard our Cathay Pacific flight to Bali. We’re 2 hours in and another 2 hours to go. Phil is wearing one of his ‘Indian’ shirts together with his shorts and sandals which always makes him feel like he’s on holiday. Complimentary drinks and a good choice of flight movies and he’s one happy bunny despite the lack of sleep. So used are we, to budget airlines, Easyjet, Ryanair and Air India that flights like this one are almost luxury to us. Phil says it’s like being in business class!

I have high expectations for Bali and don’t worry about me Vanessa; soon I will be chilling on my sun bed overlooking the ocean and blogging about happy times. Fingers crossed anyway. Sometimes, the lower your expectations, the lesser the disappointment.